Aston Martin has confirmed that a suspension failure caused Fernando Alonso to retire prematurely from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.
Alonso retired on Lap 24 of the most recent race in Monza with a suspected mechanical failure.
It was believed that during his final lap of the race, the right rear pushrod of his AMR25 gave way after running over the exit kerb at Ascari.
But the team has since uncovered that it was a problem that developed from an incident on the opening lap that continued to worsen until the sudden failure.
As seen on the on-board cameras, gravel was flicked up with debris hitting several parts of the Spaniard’s car, leaving his suspension, in particular, compromised.
“The team can confirm some gravel hit Fernando’s car in the first lap of the race in multiple areas, including his suspension, which compromised it,” Aston Martin said in a statement.
“The team were unaware of the damage sustained. Low-level, continuous loading caused the eventual failure of the part.”
Alonso bemoans continued bad luck in 2025
The incident ultimately robbed Alonso of a potential points-scoring finish.
The veteran driver started the race strongly, making his way up to eighth from 15th on the starting grid, with yet another top 10 finish in his sights.
The disappointment was evident for Alonso post-race, who stated that he was “used to” the setbacks that have defined most of his and Aston Martin’s 2025 campaign.
The two-time World Champion admitted that repeated reliability issues and misfortune have cost him a significant haul of points throughout the season to date.
“It’s frustrating that I should have maybe 20-30 points more than what I have – not down to me – but it is the way it is,” Alonso reflected. “Unfortunately, I’m getting used to it.”
Heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, Alonso sits 12th in the Drivers’ Championship, a mere two points behind his team-mate, Lance Stroll.
Aston Martin, meanwhile, continues to chase Williams in the fight for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Though the team’s point-less Monza outing handed its rivals a boost, the British-based marque will be eager to make up the ground around the streets of Baku this weekend.
READ MORE – How Fernando Alonso aided Oscar Piastri’s rapid rise to leading F1 title contender
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